Channel & Category Development Manager

• Master's/Bachelor's degree in Business Management, Marketing Management, or a related field.
• A minimum of 5 years of commercial experience, including managerial roles in Senior Account Management, Trade Marketing, or Brand Management within an MNC.
• Experience in business planning and implementation (Project Management).
• Proven team management experience.
• Strong communication, presentation, and influencing skills.
• Willingness to travel.

• Unique company culture of Dutch heritage and international presence.
• Competitive salary & benefits package
• A friendly and informal working environment, yet professional team members as sparring partners.

Channel Marketing Strategy

• Annual Category and Channel Planning process, setting Category specific Customer Objectives and Strategies to bring the Category Strategy to life in each Channel/Customer
• Provide channel/customer-specific data and insight within and across categories based on an intimate knowledge of customer strategy, needs, target shopper, and shopper segments to incorporate into Shopper Marketing strategy.
• Proactively suggest areas for customized assortment and format differentiation (by formula, by shop format).
• Lead the integration and application of Shopper Marketing strategy into Channel/Customer plans.

Channel/Customer/Shopper Relationship / Needs

• To support the development of a relationship with the Customer in each channel based on strategic partnership, aligned common goals and an in-depth category / retailer understanding from a total business perspective.
• Champion the needs of the Shopper in each Channel/Customer back into the FC business.

Commercial Propositions

• Ensure the Shopper Activation team commercialise the go-to-market proposition for all new category specific initiatives by translating it into a Channel/Customer specific conceptual sell based on Channel/Customer specific Shopper insight.
• Ensure the Channel Development Managers lead the Commercial Proposition process for those initiatives which are specific to one Channel/Customer and go across multiple categories.
• Provide specialist Category and format representation to Customers as required by customer development - as per the agreed Customer Contact Strategy agreed jointly with Customer. Development. Engage personally as a category and channel.

Implementation of Channel and Category Strategy

• Ensure the development of Shopper Marketing (Channel) implementation plan to fully support upcoming year’s Shopper Marketing objectives and strategies by category.
• Ensure the monitoring and follow-up of the execution of channel category plan progression (KPI’s).

Review and Evaluation

• Ensure Shopper Marketing team leads the quarterly review process of Shopper Marketing and category plans.
• Ensure evaluation of the effectiveness of the FC investment choices in the Category, Channel, and Customer – input revised strategies and plans based on the results of the assessments.
• Proactively drive review of strategies where Category, Channel and Customer objectives are not being met by the Shopper Marketing.

Customer, Channel and Category Contribution

• Contribute to the delivery of targeted improvements to both Customer/Channel and Category Contribution (Profitability) levels.
• Lead the development and implementation of strategies across the commercial business to improve both channel and category contribution – aligning all other commercial functional heads.
• Support Customer Development Managers in the delivery of improvements in Customer contribution.